The Tanjore Tiffin Room makes its way to Pune

In a city that deeply loves a good meal and a great conversation, The Tanjore Tiffin Room was imagined as a place where the everyday dining ritual could feel more intimate, more considered, and entirely comforting. Now, the beloved restaurant is making its much-anticipated debut in Pune at Balewadi High Street.

For restaurateur Kishore DF, this is far more than just another opening, it is a deeply personal, full-circle moment. Having spent his formative student years in Pune, returning to the city to introduce one of India’s most cherished regional dining experiences feels like a true homecoming.

With beloved locations across Mumbai and Goa, The Tanjore Tiffin Room (TTR) has built its reputation on a deeply rooted, flavor-forward take on homestyle Tamil cooking. While spearheaded by Kishore DF, whose portfolio includes landmarks like Pot Pourri, Lemon Grass, WTF!, Seijo, The Soul Dish, The Big Nasty, Jimmy Hu and The Butler & The Bayleaf, TTR operates with the soul and warmth of a neighborhood mom-and-pop diner. It is a space built on memory, tradition, and the everyday culinary rituals of Tamil households, where every guest is welcomed like family.

Thoughtfully designed to mirror the quiet elegance of an ancestral home, the welcoming 130-seater space moves easily between a spacious indoor dining room and an intimate outdoor deck. Earthy terracotta tones, vintage family heirlooms, decades-old photo frames, and hand-painted murals tell silent, beautiful stories of the South.

For a city that thrives on alfresco dining, the outdoor deck offers a lush, green sanctuary. Lit under the warm evening glow of brass diyas, it provides a peaceful haven to slow down, take a pause, and let an afternoon slip into evening.

A Kitchen Rooted in Family Recipes and Tradition

Chef Krish Shah, who leads the kitchen at The Tanjore Tiffin Room as Chef de Cuisine, has shaped the menu through a process of deep immersion rather than reinvention. He spent time traveling across the South, visiting homes and learning from families, observing recipes that have never been formally documented. The focus has been on understanding these dishes at their core and translating them into a restaurant setting, retaining their depth while building the structure required for consistency and scale. His approach brings together strong technique, a refined understanding of ingredients, and disciplined kitchen processes, while staying true to the character of traditional Tamil cooking.

The resulting menu feels like a collective family album, balancing bold Chettinad pepper hits with the slow-cooked, creamy coconut bases of a proper Madras curry: the kind of layered flavor that only comes from recipes passed down through Tamil households. TTR is more than a meal; it’s a moment of pause. Small plates are crafted for sharing and storytelling, featuring iconic vegetarian comforts like the ghee-drenched, melt-in-the-mouth Mini Gunpowder Idlis and crisp Jackfruit Cutlets, alongside signature family favorites like Karaikudi Fried Prawns, Padmini’s Mutton Cutlet, flavorful Madurai Style Roast Chicken Wings, and tender Pankajam’s Lamb Chops.

For the main course, the table experience begins with TTR’s signature curry sampler, paving the way for the rich, celebratory aromas of the decadent Mutton Ghee Roast, the deeply comforting, slow-spiced Dindigul Biryani (served traditionally with Salna), and the legendary Madras Railway Curry; dishes that carry both complex layers of spice and profound emotional comfort.

Sips of Nostalgia

To complement the rich, spiced flavors of the kitchen, the bar features a curated beverage program by Chief Mixologist Mr. Pranav Mody that seamlessly infuses regional ingredients with contemporary mixology.

The cocktail menu highlights signature favorites like Thalaiva (a tropical blend of dark rum, tamarind, and coconut), Green Latifah, and the refreshing Garden Galata, Gold Member, a whiskey, ginger beer, and lime mix; and Sundance Kid, a refreshing tequila cocktail with passion fruit, lime, and a pineapple crisp garnish. Staying true to its homestyle roots, the Zero-Proof section celebrates traditional, nostalgic coolers like the sweet Nannari Sharbat and the classic, jaggery-and-ginger-infused Panakkam.

As the doors open at Balewadi High Street, the restaurant steps into this new chapter ready to weave itself into the daily fabric of Pune’s dining culture, offering a welcoming space where food, nostalgia, and community seamlessly come together. For founder Kishore DF, it is a proud moment of return, bringing his lifetime of hospitality experience to the very city that inspired his early journey, packaged inside the simple warmth of a family table.

Where: The Tanjore Tiffin Room, Unit Number 24-25, Balewadi High St, Laxman Nagar, Baner, Pune, Maharashtra 411045 Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052.

Timings: 12:00 PM – 1:30 AM

For more details: @thetanjoretiffinroom